It's a good idea to build your own computer because you know exactly what parts are in the computer and how you configured it. I also agree that it's a good idea to future proof your PC so you won't have to update the components every so often. I built a budget $600-$700 PC back in 2012 and it runs Trainz 2010 with decent fps.
Computer Hunting Questions
- Thread starter BlackDiamond1964
- Start date
It's a good idea to build your own computer because you know exactly what parts are in the computer and how you configured it. I also agree that it's a good idea to future proof your PC so you won't have to update the components every so often. I built a budget $600-$700 PC back in 2012 and it runs Trainz 2010 with decent fps.
Prices at Tigerdirect. Let this serve as a guide, if not at shopping list:
Core i7-4790k @ $340
Asus Z97i @ $160
16Gb Kingston HyperX Fury @ $155
Corsair CS850 850W Supply @$140
Ultra Rogue M950 Tower Case @ $99
Seagate Barracuda 2Tb Hard Drive @ $85
Samsung 850 EVO 256Gb SSD @ $140
PNY nVidia 760 w/ 2Gb DDR5 @ $220
That's about $1,340 right there.
Add another $100-$300 for the OS, depending on version, but I'd spend a little more and get the "retail" version versus the "OEM" one, as the OEM version becomes locked to the first machine on which you install it.
Core i7-4790k @ $340
Asus Z97i @ $160
16Gb Kingston HyperX Fury @ $155
Corsair CS850 850W Supply @$140
Ultra Rogue M950 Tower Case @ $99
Seagate Barracuda 2Tb Hard Drive @ $85
Samsung 850 EVO 256Gb SSD @ $140
PNY nVidia 760 w/ 2Gb DDR5 @ $220
That's about $1,340 right there.
Add another $100-$300 for the OS, depending on version, but I'd spend a little more and get the "retail" version versus the "OEM" one, as the OEM version becomes locked to the first machine on which you install it.
I've had three computers built by JNCS and I will have my next one built by them. Top notch all the way. If you have any questions the phone is usually answered after three rings and you can actually understand them. The shipping my be a stumbling block for you out in the West but you can go on they're site and see what things cost and get they're recommendations. Check them out at www.jncs.com Highly recommended. Good luck.
BlackDiamond1964
Shadow Banned By N3V
I feel kind of dumb for asking, but what is this?- Samsung 850 EVO 256Gb SSD @ $140
Solid State Device. It's considerably faster than a conventional hard drive, so it's probably something you'd want since performance a future-proofing is a goal. The costs have come down considerably in the last year to about 50 cents per gigabyte.
BlackDiamond1964
Shadow Banned By N3V
I went to YouTube and looked at some videos that show the differences between SSD and a regular Hard Drive...this is new info to me. My next question is why do computers have (or need) both?
Again, performance. SSDs are a lot faster with disk operations than a conventional hard disk. Trainz should load faster and, on complex routes where scenery may have to load as-you-go, it can help. But SSDs are far too expensive for most people to use as regular storage, not to mention that they have historically had some reliability problems. By and large, they're pretty reliable right now, but some people feel that a little more time with SSDs in mainstream use is needed to be more sure.
Hard disks are still useful for bulk storage, especially for things that might not benefit from higher performance, or at least not much. It's not worth paying 10x as much per gigabyte to load your Word documents a little faster.
BlackDiamond1964
Shadow Banned By N3V
I did check out this site. Once again I'm stuck with computer lingo that I don't understand. On their gaming PC page they have listed "Max Cores" and "Streams" for each PC...I have no idea what these terms mean.
I would go with a Dell 8700 with I5 cpu and a GTX-750Ti video card. Better yet a 760 but I think 750 is the best NVidea card Dell offers and it should do well.
It is my understanding that for Trainz, or any game, the I7 cpu has no advantage over the I5, unless the clock speed is higher.
Yes, Dell. I got my XPS 8000 when it came out in December of 2009 and it hasn't missed a beat. The XPS 8700 is the latest version of it.
It should cost no more than $900 usd.
It is my understanding that for Trainz, or any game, the I7 cpu has no advantage over the I5, unless the clock speed is higher.
Yes, Dell. I got my XPS 8000 when it came out in December of 2009 and it hasn't missed a beat. The XPS 8700 is the latest version of it.
It should cost no more than $900 usd.
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BlackDiamond1964
Shadow Banned By N3V
I also heard this too. That is why I ended up with an I5.
Can anybody tell me the difference between a GTX-750 and a GTX-750Ti graphics cards? What so special about that "Ti"? Other cards are offered with this option.
narrowgauge
92 year oldTrainz veteran
I have the GTX 750ti and it runs quite happily on a 500 Watt PSU. That is reputed to be one of its strong points, it is very miserly on power consumption. I would recommend it.
Peter
Peter
Now you're talking more of my philosophy. The i5 is a good CPU and the 750Ti is a good match. I'm running an i5-3570k and a 550Ti myself and it's served me well the last 2.5 years. Based on your previous posts, I had figured you're willing to more to get a higher-end system.
Today, the i5 is definitely the "sweet spot" for a best-value CPU, and the 750Ti is definitely a best-value GPU. Even Tom's Hardware seems to feel the same as far as the 750Ti goes for its category. If bang for your buck is what you're after rather than a closer-to-high-end machine, go for it. You'll probably shave $200-$250 off the price I estimated above.
Edit: Let me mention that it's still a good idea to buy a power supply that is capable of delivering a lot more power than nVidia says the GPU needs, the reason being is that not all power supplies are created equal, and some just suck. The PSU I mentioned earlier is ranked as a Tier II by Newegg's Eggxpert (spelling?) exchange, so it would generally be considered a good one, and should be reasonably future-proof, especially if future plans call for adding a second GPU. But the quality of a power supply can vary widely not only by manufacturer, but even within a product line.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107-3.html
Today, the i5 is definitely the "sweet spot" for a best-value CPU, and the 750Ti is definitely a best-value GPU. Even Tom's Hardware seems to feel the same as far as the 750Ti goes for its category. If bang for your buck is what you're after rather than a closer-to-high-end machine, go for it. You'll probably shave $200-$250 off the price I estimated above.
Edit: Let me mention that it's still a good idea to buy a power supply that is capable of delivering a lot more power than nVidia says the GPU needs, the reason being is that not all power supplies are created equal, and some just suck. The PSU I mentioned earlier is ranked as a Tier II by Newegg's Eggxpert (spelling?) exchange, so it would generally be considered a good one, and should be reasonably future-proof, especially if future plans call for adding a second GPU. But the quality of a power supply can vary widely not only by manufacturer, but even within a product line.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107-3.html
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1. Do not go with Dell or any other "common" computer manufacturer. When you need help with something and you call their 800 number, you'll probably end up talking to a tech in India and he will normally be very hard to understand.
2. A Solid State Drive is the only way to go.
3. Make darn sure you get Windows 7.
4. Go with someone local (like I said) and you can have them build it to your specifications.
If you MUST buy a computer from some other manufacturer OTHER than local, try Falcon Northwest. Just search Google for them.
Nuff' said.
Dave
2. A Solid State Drive is the only way to go.
3. Make darn sure you get Windows 7.
4. Go with someone local (like I said) and you can have them build it to your specifications.
If you MUST buy a computer from some other manufacturer OTHER than local, try Falcon Northwest. Just search Google for them.
Nuff' said.
Dave
BlackDiamond1964
Shadow Banned By N3V
I've been there! When my father's Dell had some issues I had to spend some time calling their 800 number.
Question...I see a lot of people complaining about Windows 8 (8.1). Generally speaking, what's wrong with it?
BlackDiamond1964
Shadow Banned By N3V
Ok...so I went to the local computer shop, yes they are open on Sundays for a few hours.
They pointed me to 2 computers as starting points. These can be upgrades. These computers were sent to shows but never used so these are discounted.
Here is the specs for the first computer...
Lenovo
Thinkstation C30
6 cores, 12 threads, 2.8 Turbo Boost
2 year warrenty
1st Quality Off Lease
Intel Hexa Core Xeon 2 GHZ
Daul Processor Capable
300GB 15000 rpm SAS Hard Drive
2TB Storage Drive
Windows 7 Pro (SP1) X64
1GB Nvidia Quadro 2000
16GB DDR3 (128 Max)
DVDRW/DVDROM
High Speed USB2
1000 Network
Fully programmed with all updates, anti-virus, firewall, spyware cleaners, Open Office.
Keyboard, speakers and mouse.
Price $1495, Originally $3895
Please let me know what you think!
They pointed me to 2 computers as starting points. These can be upgrades. These computers were sent to shows but never used so these are discounted.
Here is the specs for the first computer...
Lenovo
Thinkstation C30
6 cores, 12 threads, 2.8 Turbo Boost
2 year warrenty
1st Quality Off Lease
Intel Hexa Core Xeon 2 GHZ
Daul Processor Capable
300GB 15000 rpm SAS Hard Drive
2TB Storage Drive
Windows 7 Pro (SP1) X64
1GB Nvidia Quadro 2000
16GB DDR3 (128 Max)
DVDRW/DVDROM
High Speed USB2
1000 Network
Fully programmed with all updates, anti-virus, firewall, spyware cleaners, Open Office.
Keyboard, speakers and mouse.
Price $1495, Originally $3895
Please let me know what you think!
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BlackDiamond1964
Shadow Banned By N3V
Here is computer #2
Dell
Precision T5500 WorkStation
2X Intel Quad Core Xeon 2.4 GHZ
8 processors chips- 16 cores
Windows 7 Pro (SP1) X64
300GB 10,000 RPM Raptor
1TB Data Drive
4GB GT 740 Video card
16GB ECC Ram (96 Max)
DVDRW/DVDROM
High Speed USB2
1000 Network
HD Audio
Fully Programmed with all updates, anti-virus, firewall, spyware cleaners, Open Office.
Keyboard, speakers and mouse.
Price $1195, Originally $3695
Dell
Precision T5500 WorkStation
2X Intel Quad Core Xeon 2.4 GHZ
8 processors chips- 16 cores
Windows 7 Pro (SP1) X64
300GB 10,000 RPM Raptor
1TB Data Drive
4GB GT 740 Video card
16GB ECC Ram (96 Max)
DVDRW/DVDROM
High Speed USB2
1000 Network
HD Audio
Fully Programmed with all updates, anti-virus, firewall, spyware cleaners, Open Office.
Keyboard, speakers and mouse.
Price $1195, Originally $3695
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BlackDiamond1964
Shadow Banned By N3V
Well, I hate to say it, but it looks like the Dell is a better starting point. The Lenovo's graphic card would need to be replaced. I'm not really sure about the processors in both of these computers...I'm still researching it. I sure could use other people's thoughts about these.
Trainz and most games will not run good on a Xeon and may not run on a Quadro. You need a i7 or i5 for cpu. Video Nvidia run TANE better, model depends on your monitor size. Get 800-1000 watt PS. Get a Noctua for CPU cooler. Big case with lots of room inside, check that it will fit your space.
BlackDiamond1964
Shadow Banned By N3V
I watching YouTube videos about the Xeon vs. i7 dilemma... this seems to be the part that I'm really stuck on. Both computers do have a power supply over 800. These computers are starting points. They can be upgraded if needed. The good part about all this is that I don't have to deal with Dell or Lenovo. All the work and service will be done 6 or 7 blocks down the road at the local computer store. I also still have an option of getting a custom PC made, but apparently this may be more expensive from what I'm being told.
Thanks for you input.